Man falls 25 floors to his death during lift rescue

A man from Harbin, China, plummeted to his death while attempting to get out of a faulty lift last Friday (Aug 25) evening.

The lift had stalled in between the 25th and 26th floors, trapping the man, his wife, and their child within.

CCTV footage showed the family receiving help from others who were on the 25th floor.

As the lift doors opened, the couple got their child to safety through a small gap at the bottom of the lift.

Then, the man climbed out of the lift but lost his grip and fell down the lift shaft.

He was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at the scene, Sohu News reported.

In Pear Video's interview with the deceased's family, his grieving mother said that her son was only in his 30s.

Other residents could be heard saying that no maintenance checks were conducted despite frequent lift breakdowns.

The case is now under investigation, local media reported.

The video clip also sparked discussion on Chinese social media, with many netizens pointing out flaws in the rescue operation.

Some netizens who had similar experiences said that the lift should be level with the floor before a person attempts to get out of the lift.

They highlighted the risk of falling down the lift shaft while exiting a lift that is suspended in between floors.

Other recent lift mishaps include a teen who was crushed to death by a cargo lift in Jakarta and a woman in Spain who was 'cut in half' when the lift she was entering suddenly moved upwards.

Last Saturday, a woman in Shenzhen, China, fell into a hole while walking towards an escalator at a train station in Shenzhen, China.

If you ever find yourself trapped in a stalled lift, here are some tips from the Building and Construction Authority of Singapore.

- Do not panic, press the alarm button and wait for help to arrive;

- Do not try to pry open the lift doors;

- Call the emergency number in the lift to report the malfunction.

minlee@sph.com.sg